Da' Music Dat Shapes Us

Papa Dukie & The Mud People

The story of Papa Dukie & The Mud People begins in the early 1970s in a little river community of Edgard, Louisiana. Edgard is southwest of New Orleans and east of Baton Rouge, the state capital. To Tommy Malone and Steve Amedée, two young high school boys, it was where the sugar cane grew and their fun was had — out on, or behind the levee. The levee, of course, is that man-made earthen mound about 20 feet high that traverses the Mississippi River, protecting the town from floods should the water ever rise. Behind the levee was a patch of land called the batture, which physically separated the river from the levee. This is where Tommy and Steve would go fishing, hang out, be teenagers, and do whatever it was the occasion called for.
The next town to the west was Wallace. One day, two busloads of hippies showed up in Wallace and decided to camp on the batture behind the levee. They called themselves Papa Dukie & the Mud People. Dukie was actually Eddie "Duke" Edwards, a professional drummer who came back home to Louisiana after a shot at the big time in California. Papa Dukie & the Mud People were a full band of musicians, cooks, craft makers…people of all kinds and colors.
They brought a generator and built a makeshift stage and would jam until all hours of the night. They would serve food, sell crafts, T-shirts, and other wares. Tommy and Steve thought this scene was real cool and would regularly go down to observe, particularly after they heard rumors that the hippie girls were swimming naked in the river. The deputy sheriff in Wallace at that time was Robert “Momio” Cazenave, and he was summoned by the locals to keep an eye on the scene. He must have enjoyed what he saw because he deemed them law-abiding citizens. Of course, people inevitably started talking and taking sides regarding the intentions of the Mud People. At home, they were the "suppertime conversation" for a couple months. Were they there to corrupt young minds? To promote promiscuity? Turn children into drug addicts? In reality, they were just simple people, promoting only peace and harmony with other human beings and having a little fun. Nothing more, nothing less.
It was an exciting, wonderful time, and one which Tommy and Steve look back on with fond memories.

Long live the spirit of Papa Dukie & Mud People.

The Subdudes

(Here's a link to the song...If this doesn't get your feet jumpin', then you should probably have your pulse checked....Ayhee!!)

http://play.rhapsody.com/thesubdudes/behindthelevee/papadukieandthemudpeople

Life By Triads

Lately, I started to reflect on Hegel's Thesis Model that theorizes that the things we learn in life are established, defined and promulgated by triads. By this I mean that we learn or hear about something new. Then, we begin to understand its essence or how we would prefer to utilize this new idea or information into what we already do. Finally, we engage the new concept into our existing paradigm to create a new synthesis for ourselves.

It would appear that epistomological change is good but sometimes I wonder.... This is especially true when the main idea of something is not clear. Or, more specifically, not clear to me. Obviously, this is the part that drives me nuts. (Maybe I was a squirrel in a prior lifetime...?) Of course, this is exactly what happened when I heard this song, on a work road trip, this week.
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Barstool Blues (Maria McKee)

If I could hold onto just one thought,
For long enough to know,
Why my mind is moving so fast,
And the conversation is slow.
Burn off all the fog,
And let the sun through to the snow,
Let me see your face again,
Before I have to go.

I have seen you in the movies,
And in those magazines at night,
I saw you on the barstool when,
You held that glass so tight.

And I saw you in my nightmares,
But I'll see you in my dreams,
And I might live a thousand years,
Before I know what that means.

Once there was a friend of mine,
Who died a thousand deaths.
His life was filled with parasites,
And countless idle threats.
He trusted in a woman
And on her he made his bets.

Once there was a friend of mine,
Who died a thousand deaths.

The final stanza played over and over again, in my head... Hmm...

Mamma Dee's Artichokes

Vino of the Week:

92 Points - Robert Parker (Wine Advocate)
"The 2004 Grenache Prodigal possesses a dark ruby color as well as classic kirsch and licorice notes with a background resiny/earthy character. Full-bodied, supple, and deep, this mouthfilling wine should be drunk over the next 5-6 years."

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Yummage:

Purchase 4 fresh artichokes, cut off the bottom stem and top 1/2 of each. Set these aside. Steam or boil for 40-45 minutes in water laced with either liquid, powder or herb based shrimp boil (either Zatarain's or Louisiane's is best). Optional (but recommended): quarter and squeeze juice of one lime or lemon into boiling/steaming water. Purchase one bottle of Salsa Ranch dressing (HEB's is fine), for dipping of artichoke leaf sections. When steam/boiling is complete, use teaspoon to scoop out fuzzy inner stuff from center of artichokes. Peel away leaf sections and use ranch dressing as dip. Great as appetizer or as a side, veggie dish.

Things That Make You Go Hmm...

There are a number of things that will get our attention, as we go through our daily endeavors. The most memorable of these are either the funny, ironic or striking ones. The photo above fits the definition of each and explains why it is being utilized in lieu of an actual photo of myself. I'm sure I will switch it for a real photo soon but it makes for good entertainment value in the mean time. What's the big deal with a kid wanting to ride a gator, anyway?